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Noir chased Arlong all the way to the shore, watching as the fish-man''s silhouette quickly disappeared beneath the water. He could only stand there in frustration.
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Fish-men in water were truly unbeatable in terms of speed.
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"Dammit! How did Arlong get his hands on the vicious ES pills? He never used them in the original series!" Noir muttered angrily.
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What Noir didn''t know was that if he hadn''t pushed Arlong into a corner, the fish-man would have thrown away the highly detrimental pills in a couple of days.
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Arlong was like a thorn, constantly threatening Bell-mère and the villagers.
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Noir''s face turned cold.
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Hunt down Arlong! No loose ends!
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At that moment, the system''s voice echoed in his mind.
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"Ding! Host has successfully altered an important plotline! Reward doubled!"
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"Rewards granted! Observation Haki Awakening Beginner Pack1, Fish-Man Karate Training Manual1, Red Talent Copy Card1, White Talent Copy Card10!"
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A series of system notifications bombarded Noir''s mind, leaving him dizzy with joy.
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With the awakening of Observation Haki, only Conqueror''s Haki remained to be mastered. And with the "King''s Disposition" talent, obtaining it by age seventeen was a certainty.
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Additionally, Fish-Man Karate was an excellent combat technique. It wasn''t limited to fish-men; humans could also train in it to a high level, even to the point of manipulating water.
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Most importantly, it could replace the "Village Guard Combat Technique" talent Noir had copied from Genzo, which turned out to be pretty useless. It was only barely sufficient for self-defense, useless against true martial artists.
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So Noir had turned to swordsmanship. But during his duel with Kembra, his sword was broken, and he was left to take blows with his bare hands.
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Now, with Fish-Man Karate, a well-known martial art in the New World, he could cover his weaknesses.
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The best part was that it didn''t occupy a talent slot; Noir could train it himself.
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He decided to find an opportunity to replace Genzo''s talent.
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As for the talent copy cards, the red card replenishment was great. But what was he supposed to do with so many white cards?
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From experiments, Noir was certain that white talents were pretty much for minor skills.
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But better something than nothing...
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With a long sigh, Noir turned back towards the villagers.
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"Noir!"
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The villagers cheered as they saw him, rushing forward to surround him enthusiastically.
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Leading the charge were two adorable little girls.
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Nami and Nojiko leaped into Noir''s arms, making him laugh heartily.
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Bell-mère watched with a hearty smile, gratified to see her children being celebrated by the villagers.
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"Ooh!"
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Before long, the villagers hoisted Noir high into the air and tossed him up with all their might.
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Holding a girl in each arm, Noir laughed as they giggled like little sparrows.
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"Noir!"
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"Noir!"
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"Noir!"
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Though a bit dizzy from being tossed, Noir grinned proudly. "Hahaha, calm down, calm down! Your bro is just... Wait, who''s touching my dick?!"
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...
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After the commotion settled, everyone remembered the half-dead Genzo lying on the ground.
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Genzo''s face looked like he''d eaten something foul.
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He''d been lying there for hours, inhaling the earthy scent of the soil, and no one had even bothered to help him up! Some idiot even stepped on him!
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The villagers quickly helped Genzo to his feet. His face finally lightened as he weakly said, "Alright, let''s head back to the village. Someone get me a doctor..."
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The villagers, suddenly reminded, laughed and shouted, "Mr. Genzo is right! Let''s go back and throw a banquet!"
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"Let''s have a banquet!"
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"Oh—"
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Genzo was furious, his tongue flapping in anger, "Dammit!"
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As night fell, the day''s exhaustion and labor came to an end. In the darkness, people shed their negative emotions, resetting their mood.
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The usually quiet Cocoyasi Village was bustling and lively.
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In the center of the village square, a massive bonfire blazed. Various meats were grilling on racks, slathered in sauce, the rich aroma making everyone''s mouths water.
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Seated around the bonfire, Noir and several burly villagers joked and drank, enjoying themselves immensely.
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Nojiko and Nami curiously eyed the barrels of alcohol, cautiously taking a sip.
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Their eyes lit up instantly. Each grabbed a full cup, clinked them together, and chugged.
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The two little rascals let out satisfied burps, oblivious to Bell-mère sneaking up behind them...
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Hunt time!
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Smiling women wove through the crowd, carrying trays of sumptuous dishes, serving everyone.
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Someone started it, and soon a large group was holding hands around the bonfire, dancing to off-key singing.
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Bell-mère held Noir''s hand, Noir held Nojiko''s, and Nojiko held Nami''s. The two little girls, now sporting bruises, were very obedient.
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The family stood at the center of the villagers, performing a dance none of them could identify, looking quite awkward. The crowd laughed heartily at the sight.
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Late into the night, the village''s celebration continued. Noir''s family partied until they were too tired to dance, finally collapsing on the ground to sleep.
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Bell-mère fell asleep against a table, while Noir dozed off
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Surprisingly, the only ones still awake were two cute little girls.
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Nami hugged a barrel of alcohol, giggling foolishly, pointing at the sleeping villagers. "Look at them, just a few drinks and they''re out. So lame!"
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Nojiko nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, they''re totally lame!"
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The two girls exchanged a glance, clinked their cups, and yelled, "Cheers!"
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Under the moonlight, with the villagers sprawled out asleep, two little figures stood triumphantly.
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No one knew how much trouble they''d be in the next day!